Chapter 109: Testing

Joseph cornered Maggie in the hallway after lunch.

"I've decided to be with Vanessa," he declared seriously, studying Maggie's response. "She's kinder, more intriguing, and more understanding than you." Maggie sneered. "Well, thank you so much for that. Treat her right." She dismissively stepped aside and walked away.

Joseph watched her brisk departure, devoid of emotional attachment—as if she had never cared for him. This wasn't the intended outcome.

"You'll regret it once you've had enough of other guys," he asserted confidently.

Maggie's gaze turned icy. She glanced back with a mocking grin and retorted, "Then make sure you stick around long enough to see that day."

As she walked away, Joseph's frustration grew. Maggie seemed utterly indifferent, leaving without a fuss or concern. But she used to be so devoted to him. Sensing something amiss, Maggie lingered, leaving only when the sky darkened.

Similarly, Vanessa rose to depart and quickly caught up with Maggie. "Maggie, let's leave together," Vanessa suggested.

Maggie's gaze sharpened with suspicion. "You mean I drive and you chase after the car?" she questioned skeptically. Vanessa's face flushed.

Stopping at the gate, Vanessa said in a chilly tone, "So what if you've secured an opportunity to go abroad? In Joseph's eyes, I'm still the winner. When I become his wife, I'll have the freedom to travel and study abroad whenever I please." Her eyes filled with resentment; clearly, she harbored disdain for Maggie.

Maggie chuckled. "But I don't need to marry Joseph to travel or study abroad whenever and wherever I want." Her cheerful demeanor enraged Vanessa, whose expression twisted into pure hatred. "The Camerons don't keep worthless individuals," Vanessa hissed. "If you truly have talent, come up with a better collection—"

[The abrupt ending to this paragraph needs to be resolved in the source text. The next paragraph starts a new scene.]

Chapter 109: Testing (continued)

Vanessa frowned. "What do you mean by 'Eternal Spring'?" she asked in a low voice.

Maggie laughed scornfully. "If you can't even recognize the jewelry collection on the sketches, you need to stop fantasizing about jewelry design. It's laughable!"

"I don't understand what you're saying. The designs on today's blueprints clearly belong to the 'Legendary' series!"

That confirmed Maggie's suspicions. Her gaze turned icier. As expected, something was amiss. Her foster father, Ronald, was truly cunning and had never fully trusted her. The design drafts she'd received from the Adams were different from everyone else's. It was a test from Ronald.

Luckily, her instincts saved the day. If she had leaked the "Eternal Spring" collection details to Ericko for an early launch, it would have confirmed her disloyalty to the Camerons and exposed what she had learned about her true identity. All her hard work would have been ruined, and her cover blown.

Realizing this, Maggie chuckled scornfully. Ronald held her in high regard; he'd gone to great lengths to set this trap to test her loyalty. Perhaps her sudden defense of Nathael at the press conference had triggered Ronald's suspicion.

After her return, Maggie and Ericko discussed the situation. The Adams decided to stick to their plan and release the "Eternal Spring" collection on schedule. Maggie knew her current stay with the Camerons was strategically crucial, and losing their trust wasn't an option. However, since the Camerons had thrown down the gauntlet, Ericko had poured a lot of effort into this series, aiming to perfect the craftsmanship and let the customers decide the winner.

"They're basically giving us a chance to shine; we can't let them down," Ericko remarked warmly.

With speakerphone on, Maggie replied, "Indeed. Cameron's craftsmanship surely can't keep up. Placing them side by side will clearly demonstrate our superiority, placing the Camerons at a disadvantage."

"Then, when we expose the Camerons' plagiarism and label them as copycats, their future will be even more challenging," Ericko added confidently.

"I've got an idea," Maggie paused. "Limited edition." Ordinary products would gain special allure when labeled as limited edition, naturally sparking people's desire to possess them. Ericko's promise of quality and limited availability would ensure consumers would overlook Cameron's similar products, while Adams' products would become highly sought after.

Ericko chuckled. He'd been planning exactly that, but hadn't expected Maggie to come up with the same idea.

Chapter 109: Testing (continued)

A week later, in Ronald's study, Master Cameron spoke in a deep voice. "I've asked around, and there's been no movement from the Adams camp. None of their usual collections show signs of being released early." The year was winding down—the last quarter—and if the Adams had received any news and intended to launch their new series before the Camerons, there would have been some activity by now. But there had been none, indicating they hadn't caught wind of the Camerons' plans to launch first.

"Yes, I've also looked into it, and there's been no activity," Ronald replied solemnly.

"It seems you were overthinking it, Ronald. Maggie grew up with us; how could she turn against us? We even kicked Sierra out of the house for her," Master Cameron reassured Ronald. Ronald remained silent, feeling relieved. He had been worrying unnecessarily, but recent events had been strangely unsettling, with Maggie giving him the feeling of slipping beyond his control. Whether it was the assets transferred under her name or her sudden change of stance at the press conference, Ronald always felt something was off. Yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly what was wrong, hence the recent probing.

Meanwhile, Maggie was busy preparing a special dinner. Nathael still hadn't paid her any attention, and Maggie realized he was genuinely upset. Alas, men and their mysterious hearts; things were worse in Nathael's case, more petty than others. Maggie had whipped up a few dishes, packed them into a thermal container, and called Alex. Since Nathael was ignoring her, her only option was to ask Alex.

"Mr. Solace, is Nathael working at the office?" Maggie asked bluntly.

Alex replied warmly, in a professional tone, "He's not here."

"Where is he?" Maggie toyed with her freshly painted nails, knowing Alex wouldn't easily reveal Nathael's whereabouts. But no matter, she had a plan.